The craft beer community is quick to point out the distinction between “snobbery” and “geekery” (the latter is more desirable than the former), but is being a “snob” really all that bad?

I mean, would this same conversation be taking place if we were talking about food? McDonald’s is very popular and very tasty to some, but I would never call it “good food”. Does this make me a food snob? Or just someone who knows the difference between quality food and crap? Furthermore, is demanding quality food (being a snob) a bad thing? I really don’t think so. So, it stands to reason that the same should be true for beer. When I drink a beer, I want it to be quality…otherwise, why drink it? Why waste my time on something I won’t enjoy? I don’t NEED to have a beer. I WANT to have one.

I suppose, though, that there is a fundamental difference between demanding quality for myself and demanding that everyone else adhere to the same policies. I don’t think that I am better than those who drink Bud Light exclusively, I simply think I drink better beer than they do. I do consider myself more enlightened because of this fact, but I am more than willing to spread the good word around. Then again, I wouldn’t consider wasting my coveted Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA (which is not available in Missouri) on any of my friends who are exclusive Bud Light drinkers…unless they asked….nicely.

Of course, merely writing this post makes me in violation of #10 on the list, so I clearly can’t win. 🙂